About Us

Founded by Fran M. Williams, Ed.D., Marabou Creative Concepts in Education is an agency that specializs in innovative leadership programs for women and girls.

About the Founder
Fran Marabou Williams, Ed.D. 
Affectionately know as "Dr. Fran," Frances Marabou Williams arrived in OC in 1975 with her family, electronic engineer husband, Ike Williams and their two kids, son Jeff and daughter Valerie. They were among the 1st Black Families to move to Northeast Santa Ana.
Dr. Fran was soon hired Director, Child Development Center at Santa Ana College where she soon became a full professor, followed by advancement to Director, Special Projects and Dean, Weekend College. She remained at Santa Ana College 28 years.
By 1979, she had earned a Doctorate of Higher Education to add to her Masters degree in Psychology. In 1980, Dr. Fran really came to the forefront and began her work impacting Orange County, its communities and families through service, leadership and entrepreneurship:
  • Service:National Officer in the Presbyterian Church (USA) over 10+ years; Soroptimist International Santa Ana/Tustin; Santiago Library System OC; Bowers Museum Cultural Council; OC Office of Protocol, and OC Human Relations Commission.
  • Leadership:1st Woman President of the OC Black Business Alliance, addressing financial and economic empowerment for the Black Community. 
  • Entrepreneurship: Founder of Marabou Associates, a consulting firm that supported empowering women. She hired more than 12 full and part-time employees.
  • Organizations:Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.;National Black Child Development Institute and OC Black Foster Parents.
During the 1990's Dr. Fran gained recognition throughout the region for her work as an in-house psycholigist on local Eyewitness News channel 7 on a segment titled "Raising Californians". 
Educationally, Dr. Fran continued to grow her body of work to the point of national recognition as she became in demand as a Child Development Lecturer through USA and abroad to venues in Europe, Asia and other North American countries.
And she wasn't done yet, Dr. Fran co-founded with her son, an agency of residential care for at-risk teenage girls, through The Williams Institute's Marabou House and Mae's Place. Over nearly a decade, the non-profit organization provided therapeutic housing and treatment for teenaged girls ages 13-17.
Today, Dr. Williams has  returned to community life via engagements as a national lecturer. She has also established a series of youth leadership programs through Marabou Creative Concepts in Education.